One of my first friends in Kansas City was Megan. Like me, she was an old soul in a young body. We met while working on our Masters degrees at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. We also had a lot of fun exploring the city – dinners, plays, and concerts. Megan is so talented and has taught me so many things. I also owe the start of my nonprofit career to this lady. She helped me make a resume that visually popped. Her networking skills also helped me find my first nonprofit job as a grant writer. That job was one of the best teams I’ve ever worked on and a few of those fantastic women are still dear friends.

Megan is Martha Stewart. Not only is she an amazing cook but she and her husband are also master gardeners. They have turned their passion for gardening into a full-scale Kansas agri-business. If you are close, visit their Next to Nature booth on a Saturday morning at the Bonner Springs Farmers Market. They have everything from fresh seasonal produce to products made from honey. I love watching their business adventures on Facebook.

I was lucky enough to be a bridesmaid for Megan and Chad’s wedding. Like all weddings, they had a hiccup right before their big day. Less than a week before their big day, the building where they were going to have their wedding reception was hit by a car. The good news is that structural engineers determined it was still safe to remain open. Their wedding end up going off without a hitch. And nine years later, they are still happily married.

For our wedding, Megan shared this recipe. I wasn’t sure what to think at first. Orange and chocolate chips? Sure, I’ve seen chocolate covered orange slices but I’ve never eaten them. But I trusted Megan. She’s Martha Stewart, right. I have to tell you, these cookies were so good I wish I had made a larger batch. I hope you love these super soft cookies as much as I did.

Cheesecake has sort of become a tradition on Valentine’s Day for us. This year, I decided I wanted a Monster Cookie Cheesecake. When I couldn’t find a recipe that matched what I was looking for, I modified this Mr. Food’s Tasty Toffee Cheesecake. The first time I made this recipe, I prepared it for my sister’s birthday. I’m pretty sure I made it for a Friday night dinner at my friends Kassie and Joe’s house too. It’s delicious!

I hope you enjoy a small slice of this cheesecake spin on one of my favorite cookies – my mom’s monster cookies. I just can’t make the cookies as good as she does.

In a sprayed pie pan, spread out peanut butter cookie mix. Top with quick oats and press into crust. In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in M&Ms and chocolate chips. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Notes:

I used one package of fat free and one reduced fat cream cheese. I did that because the fat free bricks were on sale for $.39. I think it turned out ok.

I’m thinking mini M&Ms and chocolate chips would work great. I used regular size through because that’s what I had on hand.

I normally work on Sunday mornings. Recently, it’s been my one day a week off from work. A few weeks ago, I promised Jeremiah that I’d cook us breakfast instead of going out to eat at The Big Biscuit (our go-to breakfast spot) before church. We had some leftover bacon in the fridge so I cooked up this little dish. So good!!!! Even my husband who usually avoids cinnamon to prevent heartburn scarfed them down.

I’d encourage you to use the suggested rolling pin and dental floss tips from the creator. They are very helpful. Plus, bake bacon and avoid grease l over your kitchen. We line a cookie sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top of the foil. This allows for easy bacon grease clean-up. We bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Mix cream cheese, maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Unroll crescent rolls and make a rectangle. Use a rolling pin to put seams together. Cover dough with mixture, leaving about ½ inch around the edges. Crumb bacon on top. Roll up the long way. Use dental floss to cut each crescent roll log into 18 pieces. Place into mini muffin cups. Bake for 10 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes. Top with glaze mixture and crumb with bacon.

You know how much I love breakfast. French toast is one of my favorites. This recipe came from my most recent issue of Simple and Delicious by Taste of Home. I saw this recipe created by a Kansas City suburbanite and it just screamed fall. I baked it while we were at the gym and it smelled amazing when we walked back into our apartment. Jeremiah and I thought it wasn’t super sweet so I would definitely recommend serving it with a little syrup. We did not the first day and figured it out quickly.

Spray a 13 x 9 pan with non-stick spray. Arrange half the bread in bottom of the pan. Top with cream cheese and spoonfuls of cranberry sauce. Cover with remaining bread. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour over the casserole. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

I halved the recipe and baked it in a 9 x 9 pan for the same amount of time.

My sister found this recipe on Facebook a few months ago and begged me to make it. I finally got around to making it Memorial Day weekend. It does take a while though because of softening and mixing three separate layers.

The recipe was something my mom used to cook when we were kids. I think it was one of her funeral committee recipes. I grew up in the northeast part of Nebraska. Tonight, one of those towns (Pilger) was distroyed by a tornado. Until the age of 14, I went to Wisner-Pilger schools. My Grandpa and Grandma Bourek lived in Pilger until they passed. My grandpa was the custodiam for the school in Pilger and my grandmother was very active in her church and community center. My parents met at a service station just outside of town where my father worked. In fact, my parents lived there when they were first married before moving to Wisner. This little town of about 400 lost everything today. I dedicate tonight’s post to the people I knew whose lives were forever changed in a matter of two minutes. Please keep them in your prayers as this town and those injuried by the storms have a long road ahead of them.

What gets you in the holiday spirit? Is it watching that classic Seinfeld episode where we learn that Frank Costanza invented his own holiday entitled Festivus? Is it watching your favorite holiday movie? Is it shopping and wrapping presents?

I have always enjoyed listening to Christmas music while baking. In my college days, it meant staying up into the middle of the night baking Chocolate Crinkles, red and green colored Snickerdoodles, and Chex Mix.

Since I recently asked all my friends what their favorite Christmas songs are, I thought I would share a few of my favorites.

A Christmas Festival by The Boston Pops – I’m a sucker for classical music at the holidays. This song also reminds me of playing it when I was in the Wayne High School concert band.

Sleigh Ride – This song makes me think of The Northland Symphony Orchestra. I served on the board of directors for several years. Although I wasn’t able to make it to this year’s concert, I’m sure Jim Murray included this piece featuring the percussion auxiliary instruments of sleigh bells and the clapper.

Put a Little Love in Your Heart by Al Green and Annie Lennox – Ok, maybe it isn’t a traditional Christmas song but it is in the movie Scrooged. Although I was totally scared by it when I saw it in the movie theatre as a child, it was just one of the many holiday movies I’ve seen with my family. We usually go Thanksgiving weekend or Christmas Day to see a movie together.

Carol of the Bells by Mannheim Steamroller – Chip Davis, a fellow University of Nebraska-Lincoln alum, did a great job arranging this piece. It always makes me think of my Grandpa Fletcher. He is a huge fan of this group and a great lover of music.

Christmas/Sarahevo 12/24 by Trans-Siberian Orchestra – A few years ago, we went to one of their concerts for my mother’s birthday. Not only do they play cool Christmas music but they put on another show entirely of their non-Christmas stuff. I bet they played for three hours. You can catch them in Kansas City on December 22nd. But don’t forget to bring canned goods for Harvesters.

All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey – Sure, lots of artists put out Christmas albums remaking classics but Mariah invented a Christmas modern day classic.

Rocking Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee – Doesn’t it make you want to reenact the puppet/record player scene from Home Alone?

You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch – It’s Dr. Seuss – enough said!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by N’sync – It makes me wish all the boys would be joining JT when I see his tour next July.

O Holy Night from Home Alone – E.T., Indian Jones, The Boston Pops – I love John Williams. My sister and I were talking about although he will never be compared to the likings of Bach or Beethoven, his classic movie scores will probably go down in history as our generation’s contribution to musical history.

Like holiday music, no Christmas gathering would be complete without a cheese ball. I made this one for my Volunteer Services Team holiday party. It was a big hit served with Grinch drinks (Sprite and lime sherbet).

I would suggest maybe cutting the amount of filling by 1/3 or 1/2. It seemed to be a lot. I had to bake for 15 minutes to fully cook the pumpkin.

I would also suggest cutting the amount of topping in half. It was twice as much as I needed. I also would suggest maybe even cutting the amount of pumpkin pie spice if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by it.

Spaghetti has been one of my favorite food since I was a kid. As you know, I’m a bit of a snob who really only loves my Great Grandma Reith’s recipe. During my Social Supper days, I did make a baked spaghetti recipe that I really enjoyed. Although this isn’t exactly the same recipe, I thought it turned out pretty good. I hope you enjoy this spin on a classic recipe.

If you have followed my blog for awhile, you might know I love M&Ms. In fact, a eat a few of them out of my candy dish probably every day. One of my all time favorite cookies is Monster Cookies because it contains M&Ms. My mother makes them perfectly but mine never turn out quite as good.

A few days ago, I spotted this recipe on an old friend from high school’s Facebook page. I just knew I had to make it. Without eggs, you can eat the raw dish without having to worry about salmonella like you do when you sample uncooked cookie dough. I’ve tried this dip with Teddy Grams, pretzels, and apples. I liked it the best on pretzels. I think it might also be good on graham or animal crackers.

One of my friends and old co-workers loves red velvet cake. When I saw this recipe, it seemed like the perfect surprise thank you gift. You see, he asked his wife (another friend and co-worker) to give me a ride to pick-up my car from the repair shop. I truly appreciate the kind gesture and never forgot it.

In January, I shared a post from a friend on my Facebook wall. You may have seen it, if you “like” the post, you will receive the surprise at some point from me throughout the year. Four of my friends responded and I haven’t forgotten. I started with Nick in celebration of Kindness Week. I couldn’t think of a better time to repay the favor. Since his wife helped me with the surprise (as well as the ride), I asked him to be sure to share with Sara.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter. Beat in the egg, then add vanilla. Beat in the cake mix until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll the dough into balls. Roll dough balls in confectioners’ sugar, and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.